The Church at Sardis Devotion 3: Spiritual Coma
May 24, 2023 12:01 AM
Spiritual Coma
Pastor Kyle Wendel
“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:2-6
Have you ever felt like you were in a spiritual coma? You may have looked well on the outside but on the inside were nearing spiritual death. That is what the church in Sardis was dealing with. The church looked healthy but was nearing a spiritual death.
I fully understand this feeling. One of the struggles I have had is feeling like I have to have it all together. It becomes exhausting. It is not initially physical exhaustion, but a spiritual one. I can go on throughout the days looking like a spiritual person, but on the inside, I know my relationship with God is very distant. Appearances can be deceiving. On the outside, you would see someone who works at the church and seems to have it together. You would not see that person who has been struggling with all aspects of life. You would not see me struggling to pray, struggling to read my Bible, struggling to be genuine and authentic in my walk with the Lord, struggling with all of the questions flooding my mind, struggling with all of the excuses I make, and struggling with the weight that knowing I am in a spiritual coma.
I recently have had a time when I became very vulnerable about my situation and it was so freeing and a breath of life to me. I opened up to many people that I was terrified to be real with. I have felt so loved and cared for. They have genuinely wanted to see my walk with the Lord thrive. It is so freeing to be open about your struggles and to have others show the love of Christ to you.
I say these things so some may know they are not alone. We all have our struggles. However, we need to wake up from some of the spiritual comas we are in. We need to stop making excuses and turn to the Lord. We need to be real and genuine with the Lord. Ask for Him to help wake you up from the coma you might be in. Ask Him to give you people with whom you can be open and they will care for you. Turn to Him. Make time to be in the Word daily. Make time to be in prayer daily. Make time for your relationship with your Lord and Savior. God wants you, all of you. Let us be a people who give God our everything as we anxiously await His return.
Pastor Kyle Wendel
“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:2-6
Have you ever felt like you were in a spiritual coma? You may have looked well on the outside but on the inside were nearing spiritual death. That is what the church in Sardis was dealing with. The church looked healthy but was nearing a spiritual death.
I fully understand this feeling. One of the struggles I have had is feeling like I have to have it all together. It becomes exhausting. It is not initially physical exhaustion, but a spiritual one. I can go on throughout the days looking like a spiritual person, but on the inside, I know my relationship with God is very distant. Appearances can be deceiving. On the outside, you would see someone who works at the church and seems to have it together. You would not see that person who has been struggling with all aspects of life. You would not see me struggling to pray, struggling to read my Bible, struggling to be genuine and authentic in my walk with the Lord, struggling with all of the questions flooding my mind, struggling with all of the excuses I make, and struggling with the weight that knowing I am in a spiritual coma.
I recently have had a time when I became very vulnerable about my situation and it was so freeing and a breath of life to me. I opened up to many people that I was terrified to be real with. I have felt so loved and cared for. They have genuinely wanted to see my walk with the Lord thrive. It is so freeing to be open about your struggles and to have others show the love of Christ to you.
I say these things so some may know they are not alone. We all have our struggles. However, we need to wake up from some of the spiritual comas we are in. We need to stop making excuses and turn to the Lord. We need to be real and genuine with the Lord. Ask for Him to help wake you up from the coma you might be in. Ask Him to give you people with whom you can be open and they will care for you. Turn to Him. Make time to be in the Word daily. Make time to be in prayer daily. Make time for your relationship with your Lord and Savior. God wants you, all of you. Let us be a people who give God our everything as we anxiously await His return.